Chapter Fifty-Four
Two E-Mails
Okay, we're finally getting somewhere in the story, you guys! And thank you to those who are praying for my friend. You don't know how much we appreciate it!
Fun chapter to write.
Subject: Love From New York!
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2007 12:10 PM EST
To: owe you an apology. A huge one. It's been more than three weeks since we've last spoken and I have not bothered to send out one e-mail. And I know what you would say: I have an excuse because I've been busy moving. And I have.
Where do I begin? New York is great! You would love it. Our apartment is absolutely wonderful. The first song that we heard while unpacking was "First Time" by Lifehouse. (Remember the bachelorette party?) It's been three weeks and we're nearly all settled. Moving was awful. When we were moving boxes and furniture in on our first day, our neighbor thought that we were siblings and we were helping our parents move in. Just imagine the joy we had explaining that we were married.
Will and I have been doing our photo shoots on Wednesdays – right in the middle of the week, which works out great for us. It's great to work only one day out of the week – plus, we get paid what most couples get paid in two weeks. Will is great on photo shoots. He has an amazing eye for the right poses. Comes from him being a blacksmith, I suppose. On our recent days off (now that we're all unpacked, that is), we usually watch movies. He watched "The Notebook" the other day for the first time. That is, hands down, the best movie to watch with the one you love. Those kissing in the rain scenes...
It's our three week anniversary today! Three weeks ago, you and I were talking in our hotel room. Remember how scared I was? I don't know what I would have done without you, Melissa. Really. Thank you.
Speaking of being a blacksmith, he jokingly brought up the other night that I was Elizabeth in a past life. At first, I was a little angry that he was comparing me to his ex-fiancée (he married me!), but she and I are similar. And I was having serious deja vu when he and I were on the beach. I want to think that it's coincidence, but since when have I believed in that?
Alright, I've been holding this in for three weeks: I miss you! I was listening to "When You're Gone" the other day, and I couldn't help but think of you. You have no idea how much I miss you!
By the way, Will and I have reserved tickets for Thanksgiving. We're going to his father's apartment for a few days. Do you and I want to get together? I want to see you, Melrose! I'll go anywhere with you! You pick the place and I'll find a way to get there!
How's the pregnancy going? I hope it's treating you well. You, Amy, and Jack are constantly on my mind. I can't wait until Amy is born! You're going to be a wonderful mother, Melissa.
Update me about what's going on in Minnesota with you!
Love,
Kate
Subject: It's About Time!
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2007 7:09 PM CST
To: me just say, someone's in love! You're talking about a guy like I've never seen you do before. I'm really happy for you, though. I'm happy that you're happy. Even thought it's so hard not having you here.
And stoic Kate, who has cried only once or twice in front of me other than the bachelorette party, finally admitted that she misses someone. What has this world come to?
What's been going on in three weeks, you ask? I went to dinner with Cutler Beckett. Yes, Beckett. Why? Because I thought he might not be as bad as people thought. And was I wrong? Yes. I am terrified of that man. If you think that you're going to laugh at me for that, need I remind you that you got drunk in Florida and sang "A Pirate's Life For Me" on the balcony with Jack? (Hmm, Elizabeth after all?)
College has been kicking my butt lately. There's so much homework, I hardly get a chance to relax. Don't get me started with Chemistry and Calculus. I hate them. The only thing I like about college is that I get Fridays off. Even then I have work.
I'm in my second trimester! My sixteenth week, to be exact. Jack says I've been moody lately. I got angry at him for not picking up laundry detergent the other day. He loves to tease me more lately because he knows that he'll actually get a reaction out of me. Oh, and I've gained eight pounds since I found out. Eight! Kate, I'm going to get fat! After I have the baby, I'm just going to be a blob...ugh. I know that breast-feeding burns about five-hundred calories a day, but I'll have to do running and pushing Amy around in a stroller. And I'll have to diet! It makes me wonder how celebrities get in shape so quick after Baby.
And, yes, we must meet up! Bring Will with to the town home and us four can get together. It'll be great to see you again.
With love from Minnesota,
Melissa
It was now mid-November, a week before Thanksgiving. Melissa was still as moody as ever, and Jack loved nothing more than to see her worked up over the little things. It always seemed to be something. Today it seemed to be his singing that irritated her.
"Gimme, gimme more / Gimme more / Gimme gimme more –" he began to sing.
"Stop!" she snapped. She was on her laptop on their bed, and she did not look happy. It had been like this for two weeks – Melissa wasn't acting like Melissa. The sweet, innocent, naive blonde he used to know was turned into a wench who seemed to suffer from constant PMS.
"What about Jackalicious, eh, love?" he asked, sitting next to her over the maroon sheets. "Jackalicious definition makes them girls go looney –"
"Oh, Jack," she interrupted. "Shut up!"
Were pregnant women supposed to be moody? He had never been around a pregnant woman for long enough to know what to expect.
"Someone woke up on th' wrong side o' th' bed fer th' past seven weeks," Jack teased.
"For seven weeks, I wasn't sure if we'll be good parents, how we're going to be able to afford Amy at times, or if she'll be healthy when she's born, but all that pales in comparison now because I found out that I've gained sixteen pounds since June!"
What was it with women and their weight? They always thought they were too fat or needed to loose an inch around their waist or thigh. He would never understand women.
"I think ya look fine, love," he answered. "Ya think sixteen pounds is more than it is 'cause o' Amy in ya."
She sighed and laid down on her back. "I want my body back to myself. I want to eat for one again. I don't want to keep craving pickles and ice cream!"
Jack was thankful that he wasn't a woman. He wouldn't want to go through all the mood swings and weight-gaining that they went though.
There was a sound on her computer that signaled she had gotten an instant message. Both sat up to see that it was a message from his favorite brunette.
Kate: Eight more days until I see you!
Jack typed on the laptop before Melissa had a chance.
Jack: And believe me, darling, it will be a pleasure.
Kate: I was talking to Melissa.
Jack: Ouch.
"What are you doing?" Melissa said, taking the laptop from him. "This is mine, you can't just read what other people have sent me!"
Melissa: You don't know how excited I am to see you again, Kate! Will, too. The newlyweds still happy?
"Ya can 'ardly call the mister 'n' misses newlyweds," Jack said. "It's been two months."
"Technically, it goes until their one year anniversary," she said.
Will: This is by far the best thing that's ever happened to either of us.
Melissa: Hey, Will! Great to talk to you again.
Jack: I have missed talking to a eunuch ever so much.
"And you couldn't possibly think that's awkward for Kate to read?" Melissa asked him.
"Th' truth often is 'ard t' read."
Melissa rolled her eyes. "Grow up."
Kate: Only time I'll ever say this: he is not!
"Wonder –" he began.
"Shut up!" she said, hitting his arm.
Melissa: Next Friday, you two are still coming over at noon, right?
Will: We wouldn't miss it for anything, Melissa.
"They're stayin' at Bootstrap's, right?" Jack asked.
Melissa nodded.
Kate: Question, Melissa.
Melissa: Yes?
Kate: Will and I were talking about our four favorite children's names (two for each gender) the other night and why we like them. What do you love about the name Amy?
A few weeks ago, Melissa went in to have an ultrasound to confirm that her baby was indeed a girl. She and Jack both agreed that the name would be Amy Pearl – she grudgingly added Pearl in.
Jack: If it were my choice, it'd be Pearl Marie.
Kate: A pity it's not.
Melissa: Amy means "loved". I just want Amy to know that, no matter what, she'll always be loved.
Will: That's very sweet of you to name you child because of that, Melissa.
Kate: I agree! Amy Pearl is a great name.
Melissa: Thanks, you two!
"Twenty dollars says that within a year the lady gets pregnant," Jack bet.
"Kate couldn't handle a child," she disagreed. "She's on birth control for a reason."
Jack remembered a few days after they met when he ate Kate's birth control medicine. While she had explained birth control, he had praised the gods for the wonders of this miracle pill.
Jack: Oi! Pearl means "pearl". It's English.
Melissa looked at him with confusion. "Could you be any more stupid?"
Kate: Thank you, Captain Obvious.
Melissa: We have to go. "The Office" is on. Talk to you later, you two!
Melissa logged out of her instant messaging service and shut off her laptop, then laid down on the bed and flipped on the television. Jack was still surprised that she had semi-insulted someone.
"Did ya really mean that?" he asked.
"Of course I did," she said.
Pregnant women really were different.
